John BairdLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, we have signed on to the Copenhagen accord, as have some 138 countries around the world. Under that accord, we will be reducing our emissions by 17% by 2020.

We have already begun substantial action with the administration of Barack Obama in Washington, targeting particularly the transportation sector, where for the first time ever we have a North American common standard that will reduce GHG emissions on vehicles. We are moving into trucks and light vehicles. We are moving into marine and aviation. We are working significantly with the Obama administration. We think that is the right thing to do.

Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of the week, two Conservative ministers were doing everything they could to convince me to be part of the Canadian delegation to NATO to ensure that one of them would be paired up. What a strange coincidence: as soon as they sealed the deal on the Afghan mission with the Liberals, they pulled the plug so that no one who disagrees with prolonging the mission would be heard in Lisbon.

Will the Conservative government admit that, by doing so, it is trying to silence the voice of Quebec, which opposes this extension?

Mr. Speaker, the deal between the Conservatives and the Liberals on extending the military mission in Afghanistan was made behind closed doors and cannot take the place of a democratic debate. A real debate is needed to ensure that the mission really is civilian in nature.

Why is the government refusing to put this important issue up for a real debate in the House and, more importantly, allow for a vote in the House?

Mr. Speaker, building on the strengths and accomplishments over the past years, Canada is committed to help build a more secure, a more stable and self-sufficient Afghanistan that is no longer a safe-haven for terrorists.

If we were sending troops into a war situation again, we would put the matter before Parliament. However, the assignment post-2011 for Canadian Forces troops will be to train behind the wire.

Mr. Speaker, waste and more waste of Canadian taxpayer dollars. Now we learn that the Conservative government has spent money on Google keywords and websites that show women in compromising positions. One of the sites, hollywoodtuna.com, focuses on derogatory remarks and paparazzi images about our future Queen, Kate Middleton.

How can the Government of Canada justify wasting taxpayer money on a website that says, about our future Queen, “That's it Princess, clean yourself up for daddy”?

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are using taxpayers' money to advertise on pornographic websites. It is shameful, shows a complete lack of respect for women and is unworthy of our country.

I would like a female member of this government to explain to the House how the Prime Minister can find the money to pay pornographic sites that degrade women, but cannot find any money, not a dime, to create a commission to look into the deaths and disappearances of 600 aboriginal women. I want a woman to answer me.

Mr. Speaker, last week members of the House were in their ridings engaged in Remembrance Day ceremonies. No issue resonated louder from veterans than the failure of the government to immediately respond to their needs.

Former Progressive Conservative minister of science and World War II vet, Dr. William Winegard, said “I'm ashamed of what the government has done”, calling veterans' compensation “totally inadequate”.

Notwithstanding yesterday's recycled announcement, the average lump sum payment remains inadequate, whether paid upfront or over time. What is the minister going to do to fix this inequity?

Mr. Speaker, once again, the bill we introduced yesterday is an important one. Everything in that bill is based on recommendations made by veterans' organizations. We are obviously working on priorities. We had to immediately resolve the issue of wounded soldiers returning from Afghanistan in order to ensure that they and their families did not have any financial concerns. That is the direction we took. We will be injecting $2 billion to support our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, Colonel Pat Stogran confirmed that the U.K. and U.S.A. have identified the number of their homeless veterans so they can help them. Yet the Conservative government, true to its aversion to facts, refuses to compile data, preferring to believe the problem just does not exist, while Brian Decker is living on the streets of the very country he was asked to defend.

Colonel Stogran had identified at least several hundred and believes thousands of our veterans are homeless. A cheque cannot be mailed to a homeless person.

Mr. Speaker, being homeless is obviously not desirable. That is why we encourage people who meet potentially homeless veterans to let us know. In addition, we recently implemented support measures in Montreal and Toronto to identify these people and to provide them with the services to which they are entitled.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the NDP withdrew its public commitment to support our legislation that would limit Senate term limits from 45 years to 8 years. The member for Hamilton Centre was clear that this was not motivated to make Parliament work, but was in retaliation. Here is a chance for the NDP to make Parliament work.

I ask for unanimous consent to immediately pass Bill C-10 at all stages.